Monday, March 30, 2009

Bye-bye to my waistline and to the first half of my pregnancy

Big day today! I'm in my 20th week, which means I'm halfway through my pregnancy. (This is all going too fast...) Also, most of my work pants are officially too tight. This morning I put on a pair of dress pants that fit last week, but today they wouldn't button without me feeling extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, I have a bellaband to wear - whomever invited this stretchy piece of fabric is a genius, and likely a very rich genius! It felt a little strange to come to work with the top button on my pants undone (even stranger to admit that fact on this blog for you all to read), but I'm getting used to the feeling as the day progresses. At first, I felt like my pants might fall down at any minute. No embarrassing moments... just yet.
So, I think this means I have officially "popped". I'll post a belly picture soon for all of you inquiring minds, and you can tell me what you think.

One last note, today is my friend Alicia's birthday - Happy Birthday, Alicia! She has been a great friend for many years, and she has the cutest little girl, Cosette. If we have a girl, I hope ours is as cute as Cosette!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Little Kicks

I've been feeling the baby kick throughout this week. I'll be working at my desk, and I'll feel this little 'tap-tapping' in my belly. At this point, the kicks are actually comforting and makes me feel close to our little one. In time, I'm sure they will get harder & less comfortable! So, I am enjoying them for now.
Tonight I was lying on the couch watching the Mizzou game, and I could see the baby move! It was crazy! One side of my stomach was slightly higher/bigger than the other. Scott got to feel the baby kick again tonight. This is such a fun time for us. We can't wait to know whether this little kicker is a boy or girl.
On another note, today is my sister's birthday - Happy Birthday Aunt Karla! Karla has become protective of me (and baby); it's pretty cute. Tonight we had dinner with her friends for her birthday, and she insisted on walking me to my car to ensure I got there safely. Pretty cute & quite the role reversal. I'm used to being the older, protective sister! Love you, sis.

Monday, March 23, 2009

A visual of our baby

No ultrasound picture yet, but I thought I'd provide a fun visual of how big our baby is at 19 weeks - the size of a heirloom tomato! (Note the quarter beside the tomato for comparison.)

Sunday, March 22, 2009

We've got a fiesty one on our hands...

This morning I was laying in bed, just taking my time waking up on a sunny, Sunday morning. I started to feel the baby move around, and then I felt a different sensation - a distinct little kick! It wasn't hard, but it felt differently than the fluttering sensation I've been feeling for about a week. My sister was in town for the weekend, so she and Scott both got to feel the kick! They said it felt like a very slight movement... like feeling a muscle spasm on my tummy. What a great way to start off week 19!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A New Skill

I get a weekly email update on our baby's progress, and this week our baby has mastered the art of the yawn (someone's sleepy)! Hopefully we'll get to see that adorable yawn in our ultrasound in a couple weeks.

I should also start to feel the baby move in a few weeks. The past couple nights, I have felt a slight fluttering in my stomach. I can't figure out if it's just my dinner digesting or the fluttering of our little one. I like to think it's the later. :)

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Boy or Girl, Boy or Girl?

Secretly, I thought Scott & I might change our minds about wanting to find out the gender of our little bun-in-the-oven. I thought we might want to keep the suspense going for a while longer, but this past week I have been dying to know if we're going to have a son or daughter! Those moms and dads that can hold off knowing are impressive. My Type A, planner personality just can't cope with a surprise that big. Maybe we'll feel different about baby #2?

We've started a list of first names, but haven't really spent too much time on them since we don't know boy or girl, yet. We haven't even tackled middle names yet. We're having a harder time with boy names versus girl names. There are just more girl names that we both agree upon at this point. We are keeping the name hush-hush, so you will all have to wait until August to know. So cruel, I know. Ha!

Vote on the boy/girl question at the top-right hand corner of the blog, if you haven't already!

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Beginning of the 5th month

I can't believe today marks the start of month five - time flies! A lot has happened since the last post, so let me start from the top.

Scott and I enjoyed 5 blissful nights on Grand Cayman Island. The beaches were beautiful - white sand and clear, blue, calm water. Every morning, Scott and I took advantage of the breakfast buffet served on the beach. Then we'd spend the rest of the day in the ocean or by the pool. It was so great to soak in the sun, enjoy a beverage, take a nap, and read a few good books. At night, we'd visit some of the great waterfront restaurants on the island - our favorite was Calypso. A must for anyone visiting Grand Cayman in the future. Here are some pics from our vacation.
Leaving on our sunset cruise


Scott fed the Tarpon (big fish of the shark family) at The Wharf restaurant. The fish jumped up to eat to bait, and the fish got Scott's whole hand in his mouth. Scott espaced with only a few scratches, but the waiter said he was lucky he didn't lose a finger!


Me, on a raft, enjoying the water & sun

We took a trip into Georgetown
Sunset outside our hotel

Dinner at Calypso
The day after we got back from Cayman, I had my 16 week appointment. We got to hear our baby's heartbeat, again (150 bpm - same as the 12 week appointment). It was amazing. I tried to ask the doctor if that meant we were likely having a boy or girl, and she said, "it means you're having a baby." Our doctor (Carla Pearman) is a straight-shooter, and I love that about her. She said everything looked great, and we scheduled our sonogram and 20 week appointment for April 3. Scott will turn 30 and find out whether he's going have a son or daughter all in one day. Someone needs to buy that man several drinks on April 3!!
On our way out of the office, I asked Scott what he thought after hearing the heartbeat again. He said, "I started getting nervous. It made me think of all the responsibilities (a.k.a. $$) to come... sports leagues, dance recitals, cars, college, weddings..." He asked what I thought, and I said, "Oh, I just thought it was wonderful to hear our baby's heartbeat and to know all is well." The difference between men & women exemplified, yet again. :)

The following day, I returned to work and broke the happy news to my co-workers. When I told my boss, she threw her notepad across the room and gave me the biggest hug! It's so great to have a supportive and encouraging boss! My other co-workers were equally excited (and surprised!), and it was really great to share the news with everyone at work.

My pants are still fitting... barely. I'm in the phase of my pregnancy where I just feel fat. You know when you've gained about 5 - 10 pounds, and your pants are uncomfortably tight? Yeah, I'm there. I'm not big enough to be in maternity clothes, but my belly is about to outgrow the waistline in my normal clothes. Think I'll need to use the hairband trick or invest in a bellaband this coming week. The doctor said I would 'pop' around week 18 or 20, and I think she was spot on with that timeline.